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These 5 Ingredient Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies…
Watch the How-To Video Here:
Originally, this cookie recipe was supposed to be Friday’s post, but when I sat down to write today’s post, I really just wanted to write about cookies. Granted it’s currently very, very cold, and very, very snowy outside, so talking about a green salad, just didn’t seem right. Snow days need cookies, and hey, at least these cookies are healthy…ish!
Real talk for a second? Well I’ve loved creating some seriously bright recipes this January for our Healthy January, the one thing I have struggled with is healthier desserts. I always find healthier desserts a little harder than say, just throwing a whole bunch of extra vibrant food in a bowl and calling it a day. Unlike savory foods, desserts usually need a little sugar, and if there’s one thing all health experts agree on, it’s that sugar is pretty bad for us.
UGH. But what about our chocolate sweets, you know?
I’m not one to give up on a good challenge, so I had to start getting a little creative when it came to healthier sweets.
Enter these cookies. They are flourless, butterless, and contain no processed sugar.
So basically, they’re health food. Cookies for breakfast?
Um, OK.
And now you’re probably wondering how on Earth these cookies taste even remotely good without any of the usual ingredients cookies contain. Well, I have a secret ingredient.
DATES.
Yup, just dates. Chewy, incredibly sweet dates. I swear, for those of you who think dates aren’t any good, think again because they are a miracle ingredient when it comes to naturally sweetening food, and I love using them in place of processed sugars whenever possible.
Major bonus? Even though dates are incredibly sweet, they actually provide nutritional benefits and are high in antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. Just one serving of dates provides about fifteen percent of your daily fiber.
Cool. Cool.
Double major bonus? Dates are not only sweet and can replace sugar in recipes, but they’re also super sticky and moist, eliminating the need for binders like butter, oil, and sometimes eggs in vegan baking.
You see, you see? Miracle ingredient. I am a little bit obsessed…but moving along now.
PS. I sent about a dozen of these cookies over to my parent’s house for them to try. I wasn’t sure how they’d react because my mom is one of those people who thinks she doesn’t like dates…well, she loved these cookies, as did my dad. When you get mom’s approval on a cookie, you know it’s a good cookie.
Aside from the dates, these cookies are made up of four other ingredients: peanut butter, vanilla extract, a large egg, and a generous amount of dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
The peanut butter is the key flavor here and I LOVE it…but I’m sure you guys could have guess that. Peanut butter and chocolate are definitely one of my favorite combos. That said, if you’re opposed, or want to switch things up, these work with just about any other nut butter. I’ve made them with almond butter and they are equally delicious and cashew butter sounds like a genius idea.
A few notes.
I use organic, salted peanut butter that has no added oil or sugars. Just be sure whatever you are using is salted. If it’s not salted, make sure to add a pinch of salt to the dough.
If your dates are feeling dry, soak them in warm water for fifteen minutes or so to plump them up again. Drain the water off before using.
As for your melted chocolate, mine was only seventy-two percent dark. I could have definitely used a darker bar, but I just didn’t have any hand. You can use whatever percent chocolate you’d like. Milk, semi-sweet, or extra, extra dark, it all works. Just depends how healthy…ish you want to be.
Most important tip? Do not over bake these cookies…always under bake. Guys, there is no butter, no sugar, and no flour, if you over bake you are going to get a dry, burnt tasting cookie, and that’s not good. So set a timer when you put these in the oven and watch closely. Got it? Good.
Now that we have all the details, can we all agree to go home tonight and bake up some healthier peanut butter cookies?
I think our Tuesday needs a cookie…dunked in chocolate!
5 Ingredient Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies
Servings: 15 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 156 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 8 ounces pitted medjool dates (1 cup packed dates) (see notes for subs)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 8 ounces melted dark chocolate
- roasted peanuts, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the peanut butter, dates, and vanilla. Pulse until well combined and no large chunks of dates remain. Add the egg and pulse to combine. Roll the dough 14-15 balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a fork, gently press down on each dough ball to flatten and create a cross hatch pattern. Transfer to the oven and bake for 9-10 minutes. It's important not to over bake these cookies, so set a timer!3. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool. To make dipping easier, freeze the cookies for 10-15 minutes. Then drizzle or dip the cookies in chocolate and sprinkle with peanuts. Eat...or let the chocolate harden and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Date Substitute: you can use 3/4-1 cup granulated sugar in place of the dates. Work wonderfully!
YES. IT. DOES. <–all caps are needed.
This post was originally published on January 23, 2018
these are in the oven now, I think I over pulsed or used oily PB because mine had to be dropped from a spoon and didn’t want to crosshatch but they taste amazing…suggestions?
Over pulsing can cause the nut butter and dates to release extra oil, so that sounds like it was the issue. Please let me know if you have other questions. Glad you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I made these last night and they were fantastic. Like a larabar/cookie hybrid. I need to bring a dessert to some friends who are vegan. Do you think these could be made with an egg substitute? Any particular one you would recommend? I have no experience with egg substitutes.
ooooh I love peanut butter and chocolate!! Unfortunately I did not even come to the point where you add the egg – I had to eat the dough before! Delicious just raw with chocolate sprinkled all over it 😀 Delicious !
Haha that is too great! I am really glad you enjoyed this Johanna! Thank you!
Hi! I’m excited to try these cookies and will make them as you published the first time but I was wondering what your thoughts are on replacing the dates with bananas? I love dates & have them on hand but I am always looking for a way to use up my brownish bananas! Do you think the texture would be too gooey?
HI! I actually don’t think bananas would work very well. I think the cookies would turn out very cakey with all the bananas. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Can’t have eggs, has anyone tried this with applesauce as a substitute?
I have not tried this, but many have made them minus the egg with great results. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Used applesauce instead of the egg, and they turned out great! Delicious and gooey, thank you for this awesome recipe! New fave for sure.
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Missy!
Can I use a flax egg in place of the egg?
I have not tried that, but I do think it would work. Also, other have tried these minus the egg and still loved them. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
My husband LOVES cookies but decided he needed to cut back on the sugar. I made these for him and he was so delighted. They are a huge hit. Thank you for a easy and simple yet no refined sugar recipe.
Hello! I can’t have eggs. Do you think a flax
Egg will work? Thank you!!
I have not tried a flax egg, but I do think it would work. Also, other ave made these minus the egg and they said they where great! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
My Sunday afternoon so needs these cookies – love that chocolate dip!!
Thank you!
Ha! I looked up Healthy-ish recipes and found this. You are a woman after my own heart! I will be making these for my valentine (and my co-workers) thanks for the amazing recipes.
Thank you Angela!!
I just made these on superbowl sunday ! Delcious ! Thank you for another great recipe. I’ll making these again !
I am SO glad you liked this! Thank you Kristine!
I made these for my seven roommates and these cookies disappeared INSTANTLY. Insanely good and I plan to make again asap. Thank you Tieghan!
Thank you Sarah! I am so glad you and your roommates enjoyed these and hope you enjoy some other recipes as well!
I made these yesterday after having printed the recipe immediately last week. My date-hating mom was over this morning and didn’t try them because she saw the recipe sitting on the counter and read the ingredients.
Later, I asked if she took any cookies (my dad won’t turn down any kind of cookie), and she said I may be missing three cookies – “tried one, then took two!” And now she’s on her way to the store to buy dates.
I am so looking forward to trying this recipe. My husband has Type 2 diabetes, and I’m still on the lookout to find a good recipe that uses stevia. I didn’t think there would even be an option for something without flour or even butter. I’m intrigued and will try to make this soon.
I hope you love these cookies Jo! Thank you!
These are making all my dreams come true! I mean… peanut butter, chocolate, AND dates with not sugar or oil?!?! Are you even kidding me?! HOLY YUM! Making them ASAP
Woo! I hope you love these Caroline! Thank you!